Emory Track & Field Hires Smithey as Assistant Coach

Emory University head track and field coach John
Curtin has announced that Ross Smithey
will be joining his staff as an assistant coach for the 2009-10
season.

Smithey will replace former Emory assistant Jim Vahrenkamp, who
left the program before the start of the season, and will be
working with the Eagles' multi-event athletes, throwers and
jumpers.

"We are very pleased that Ross Smithey will be joining our staff,"
said head coach John Curtin. "Ross comes from a strong
background in the multi-events and was an all-American decathlete
at Doane College in Nebraska. Ross's expertise in the throws
and the jumps, his passion for the sport and the professional way
he presents himself made him our top choice for the job."

Smithey comes to Emory from the NCAA Division II University of
Central Missouri, where he was an all-conference athlete in the
decathlon, helping his team to two MIAA Indoor Championships and
three Outdoor Championships. He also competed at Doane
College, where he was an NAIA all-American in the heptathlon and
the decathlon, in addition to all-conference honors in the pole
vault and the 110-meter hurdles.

Smithey graduated from the University of Central Missouri in May of
2009 with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education. He
holds a USA Track and Field Coaching Level 1 certification, and had
worked at various track and field camps, in addition to serving as
a certified therapist at the Accelerated Recovery Performance
Therapy Clinic.